Reproduced by kind permission James Halliday's  Australian Wine Companion

SEPPELTSFIELD

In August 2007 this historic property and its treasure trove of great fortified wines dating back to 1878 was purchased by the Kilikanoon group. A series of complicated lease-back arrangements and supply agreements were entered into between Kilikanoon and vendor Foster’s, further complicated by Foster’s keeping the Seppelt brand for table and sparkling wines (mostly produced at Great Western, Vic; see separate entry), but the Seppelt brand for fortified wines vesting in purchaser Kilikanoon. The winery was fully recomissioned for the 2008 vintage, including the gravity flow system designed by Benno Seppelt in 1878.

100 Year Old Para Liqueur 1908
The colour is slightly less dense than that of the 1918, yet paints the glass so thoroughly it resists attempts to rinse it. It combine all the expected intensity with an unexpected degree of elegance. (Tasted on its own, elegance would likely be the last thing in your mind, but such is the comparative element of all mega-tastings of great wines.) An extra element of spice and cedar appears moments before the flavours surge across the palate, then emphatic rancio on a finish which knows no end. 
Rating 100 Drink 2010 Date Tasted Nov 08

 

Rare Rutherglen Muscat NV
Deep mahogany-brown grading to olive on the rim; explosively rich on the palate; raisins, singed toffee, plum pudding, almond and multi-spices race along the vibrant, wonderfully complex palate; rancio and associated acidity keeps the wine lithe and lively; 375 ml. Cork.
17% alc. Rating 97 Drink 2010 $59 Date Tasted Mar 09

 Rare Rutherglen Tokay NV

Full mahogany, olive rim; an intensely fragrant and equally complex bouquet; the flavours are more intense and piercing than those of the Muscat, rancio now a cornerstone, but the wine is not heavier or more luscious, simply marking the difference between tokay and muscat; 375 ml. Cork.
17% alc. Rating 97 Drink 2010 $59 Date Tasted Mar 09

 

Grand Rutherglen Tokay NV
Bright mahogany, with a rim of olive; in another tokay category altogether, its piercing complexity coupled with elegance, a vivid line of rancio running through the butterscotch, tea leaf and honey flavours; has great length and balance. Serve chilled; 500 ml. Screwcap.
16.5% alc. Rating 96 Drink 2010 $32 Date Tasted Mar 09

 

Rare Tawny DP90 NV
Full-on tawny colour; the bouquet immediately proclaims the age and the class of the wine; the palate is electric in its intensity and vibrancy, the rancio penetrating and lingering; the aftertaste goes on and on, and it is here that the glorious breed and quality of the wine is most apparent. Cork.
20.5% alc. Rating 96 Drink 2010 $69 Date Tasted Mar 09

 

Flora Fino DP117 NV
Pale straw-green; a great bouquet, highly aromatic, tangy and fresh; the palate follows precisely in the footsteps of the bouquet, with a mix of nutty/green apple characters on the mid-palate, then a gloriously fresh, dry and breezy finish. This has more character than Manzanilla; 500 ml. Screwcap.
16.1% alc. Rating 95 Drink 2010 $22 Date Tasted Mar 09

 

 

Grand Rutherglen Muscat NV
Brown-gold; another step up in richness and lusciousness, an unctuous, essency palate with spicy plum pudding and caramel overtaking outright raisin flavours; the finish is sleek and lingering; 10-15 years barrel age. Serve chilled; 500 ml. Screwcap.
17% alc. Rating 95 Drink 2010 $32 Date Tasted Mar 09

 

Selma Melitta Rare Luscious NV
Bright mahogany brown, a blush of olive on the rim; into another realm of richness and sweetness, yet always with the counter punch of rancio; flavours of slightly burnt toffee and raisined sultanas; the finish has great balance; 500 ml. Screwcap.
18.5% alc. Rating 95 Drink 2010 $40 Date Tasted Mar 09

 

Para 1987
In a unique heavy base, clear glass bottle with a fascinating variant of screwcap. True tawny colour, the aromas are of hazelnut, mocha, dried fruits and spice, the flavours an intense array infinitely complexed by rancio cut. By far the best commercial liqueur-style tawny on the market. Screwcap.
19.5% alc. Rating 95 Drink 2010 $75 Date Tasted Mar 09

Glenpara GSM Barossa Clare Valley Grenache Shiraz Mataro 2006
Has good balance, weight (medium-bodied) and structure, but, above all, a synergistic union between the regional and varietal components; has excellent black and red fruit flavours, and good tannins. Screwcap.
15% alc. Rating 94 Drink 2021 $25 Date Tasted Mar 09

 

Clara Blanca Amontillado DP116 NV
Yellow bronze-old gold; nutty, dried fruit peel aromas, then a palate which plays hide and seek; one moment with sweet honeyed nuances, the next dry and nutty, with the crosscut of rancio which drives the finish; 500 ml. Screwcap.
21.7% alc. Rating 94 Drink 2010 $26 Date Tasted Mar 09

 

Vera Viola Rare Rich Oloroso DP38 NV
Light golden brown, with just a hint of olive; here the honeyed flavours are more persistent, accompanied by dried fruit and nut flavours. Has tremendous length; it is not until the aftertaste that the rancio dries out the mouth, demanding another sip to start the process again. Average age of 18 years, but as fresh as a daisy; 500 ml. Screwcap.
21.1% alc. Rating 94 Drink 2010 $32 Date Tasted Mar 09

 

 Vintage Port 2001

An elegant, spicy true vintage port style, much closer to Portuguese than older examples; the blend of shiraz and a little touriga has some impact, but it is really the lower level of sweetness which enlivens the palate, allowing the licorice and black fruits to express themselves. Its balance and length means it can be enjoyed now or on its 15th birthday; 375 ml. 
Rating 93 Drink 2016 $18 Date Tasted Mar 09

 Grand Para NV

In a squat, heavy base, clear glass bottle; a very substantial step up the quality tree, the dried fruit/Christmas cake flavours perfectly balanced by gentle rancio. This is a wine which leads you on and on. Average age 10 years; 500 ml. Screwcap.
19.1% alc. Rating 93 Drink 2010 $32 Date Tasted Mar 09

 

 

Cellar No. 6 Rutherglen Tokay NV
Pale golden brown; tea leaf, honey, shortbread biscuit and malt aromas; a succulent, supple and rich palate, varietal fruit to the fore, rancio yet to develop much impact. Previously released under the DP37 label. Screwcap.
16.5% alc. Rating 91 Drink 2010 $20 Date Tasted Mar 09

 

Glenpara Pump House Barossa Valley Shiraz 2006
Fractionally fresher colour; medium- to full-bodied, and has more rich fruit than Head Office, ranging through blackberry, licorice and bramble, with some earthy notes and a dry, savoury finish. Screwcap.
15% alc. Rating 91 Drink 2016 $25 Date Tasted Mar 09

 

Cellar No. 8 Rutherglen Muscat NV
Tawny god-amber; the bouquet is redolent of raisins and a hint of rose petal; a quite vigorous palate, with luscious raisin fruit balanced by a neat spear of acidity. Screwcap.
16.5% alc. Rating 91 Drink 2010 $20 Date Tasted Mar 09

 

 

 

 

Glenpara Elm Walk Clare Valley Riesling 2008
Quite rich and ripe, with citrus and some tropical fruits; relatively forward style for next few years. Screwcap.
12.5% alc. Rating 89 Drink 2012 $19 Date Tasted Mar 09

 

Glenpara Head Office Barossa Valley Shiraz 2006
Some development in colour; a quite earthy/savoury wine, somewhat at odds with its alcohol, for there is certainly no surfeit of ripe fruit; may appeal for that very reason. Screwcap.
15% alc. Rating 89 Drink 2014 $40 Date Tasted Mar 09

 

 

Cellar No. 7 Tawny NV
No red tints anywhere to be seen; the wine is distinctly rich and quite sweet, with brandysnap and cake nuances; rancio is in the background. Serve chilled is the wise instruction. Screwcap.
18% alc. Rating 89 Drink 2010 $20 Date Tasted Mar 09

 

Ruby Lightly Fortified Grenache Rose NV
The instruction on the back label not to binge drink is appropriate; this could get anyone into trouble, regardless of age and experience, so cleverly has it been put together, the spirit doing little more than holding the red, spicy raspberry and cherry fruit together. Screwcap.
16% alc. Rating 87 Drink 2010 $20 Date Tasted Mar 09